Regulatory & Standards


MNOSHA Weighing Comments on Window Washing Rule

Only six comments were submitted by the Nov. 30 deadline, and too few requests came in to hold a public hearing, said Carrie Rohling, rules coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.

First Distributor Qualified to Sustainable Wallcoverings National Standard

TRI-KES, a Dallas-based sustainable commercial interior finishes distributor, earned qualification at the highest level.

OSHA Files Whistleblower Suit Against Whole Foods

OSHA has sued Whole Foods Market Group Inc. to reinstate a former employee after the company allegedly fired the worker for voicing and reporting workplace health concerns regarding a raw sewage spillage at its store in Miami Beach.

DOT: Traffic Death Rate Falls to Record Low

Fatality and injury data from 2010 show that highway deaths fell to 32,885 for the year, the lowest level since 1949.

Connecticut Roofer Fined $127,560 for Willful Fall Hazards

"There is a simple truth that employers must recognize: Fall protection is a requirement, never an option, when employees work at heights of 6 feet or more," said Robert Kowalski, OSHA's area director in Bridgeport.

NIOSH Releases Automotive Repair Safety Agenda

Health and safety issues in the automotive repair industry include injuries involving sprains and strains, cuts and lacerations, and bruises and contusions.

REINS Act Passes U.S. House of Representatives

If the bill becomes law, major rules from OSHA, EPA, and other federal departments could not take effect without explicit congressional approval.

High-Rise Fires Cause $235 Million in Property Damage a Year: NFPA

The report, “High-Rise Building Fires,” cites apartments, hotels, offices, and facilities that care for the sick as accounting for roughly half of all high-rise fires.



Worker's Overexposure to Carbon Monoxide Leads to $66,990 Penalty

The citations follow an incident that occurred in June at a work site where workers were installing a new drain system. A worker using a powered saw to cut a hole in a storm drain box was overexposed to carbon monoxide from the saw and had to be taken to a hospital for treatment.

$62,700 in Fines Issued to R.I. Shipyard for Exit, Electrical Hazards

"Left uncorrected, these conditions expose workers to potential crushing and 'struck-by' injuries, lacerations, amputations, electric shock, and being unable to exit the workplace swiftly in the event of a fire or other emergency," said Patrick Griffin, OSHA's Rhode Island area director.

FRA Advisory Reminds Workers, Railroads About Fall Protection

It was prompted by three incidents, including a September 2011 fatality in Havre de Grace, Md., as a team of workers replaced ties on a bridge over the Susquehanna River.

DOL, OSHA Cite Construction Firm Following 16-Year-Old's Fall at Worksite

The Labor Department has assessed civil money penalties of $30,350 for allowing a minor to operate a hoisting device and perform roofing work in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act's child labor provisions.

ISO Food Safety Certificates Rising Fastest

Certificates under ISO 22000:2005, the food safety management standard, rose by 34 percent in 2010 and rose fastest in China, Japan, and Greece.

NTSB Sets Hearing on Air Races, Air Shows

The five board members will participate in the Jan. 10 hearing in Washington, D.C. The agency continues to investigate the Sept. 16 crash during a race in Reno that killed 11 people and injured 74 others.

OSHA Serves $122,200 in Fines to Kitchen Cabinet Maker

OSHA initiated an inspection as part of the agency's National Emphasis Program on Amputations that found one repeat, 25 serious, and four other-than-serious violations.

CPSC Still Considering Table Saw Standard

The agency will accept comments until Feb. 10, 2012, but has not yet decided whether to pursue a a new performance safety standards.

OSHA Pounds Meat Manufacturer for Exposing Workers to Fall Hazards

Sigma Processed Meats Inc. has been cited for 16 serious and three repeat violations worth $204,800 in proposed penalties.

FAA Defining 'Propeller Critical Part' with NPRM

The agency sets minimum safety standards for airplane propellers, but its regulations don't specifically define the term propeller critical part – so there are no requirements for design, manufacture, or maintenance.

DOT Agencies Ban Hand-Held Phone Use by Commercial Drivers

The final rule takes effect Jan. 3. It does not ban hands-free phone use.

OSHA Updates Tire Servicing Materials Charts

The revised materials address OSHA's Materials Handling and Storage standard that protects workers who service single-piece and multi-piece rim wheels.

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